Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales

Description: Wetherbee's book briefly discusses Chaucer's language; the social and literary contexts of his work; the incomplete status of the text; and the reception of the tales, from Caxton, Spenser, Shakespeare, and Dryden to the editions of Skeat and Robinson.; The body of the book, devoted to succinct but detailed discussions of individual tales, is organized thematically and treats such issues as "Gentles," "Churls," "Women," and "The Art and Problems of Tale-Telling." A "Guide to Further Reading" at the end of the book lists scholarly editions, two dozen influential studies published during the last four decades, translations, and a few recordings.; Re-issued as a second edition, 2004, with a revised guide to further reading